Double garlands for our gallant NSA
By Mohammed Ismail
Our gallant, brave and eagle-eyed National Security Adviser (NSA) Mallam Nuhu Ribadu has recently scored two victories, one in the trenches and the other off the trenches.
Since his phenomenal thrust to national limelight about two decades ago, Ribadu a rare patriot, made a valiant statement as a fighter of the malignant cancer of corruption that has ravaged the country like a plague.
In fighting the behemoth of corruption which has became Nigeria’s past time, Ribadu made huge sacrifices – the major one being putting his life on the line to salvage Nigeria from its most profound ailment.
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His heroic statement made him the most feared and reviled personality in the circles of the most corrupt elites who waged a concerted war against him and severally made attempts on his life. The relentlessness of such vitriol forced Ribadu to leave the country on self exile as a last resort to evade the deadly fangs of world’s most vicious villains – Nigeria’s corrupt elites.
But while Ribadu was reviled by these pernicious and deadly species of outlaws, he established a reputation across the world as the most celebrated anti-corruption czar to hail from Nigeria seen as the haven of some of the most entrenched corrupt elites in the world.
In the course of his heroic and epoch stewardship at the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) an institution he nurtured to become an internationally acclaimed anti-graft institution, Ribadu established himself as a brand, an indefatigable slayer of graft, hence establishing a solid name which he is determined to protect at all cost.
When Ribadu was appointed NSA by president Ahmed Bola Tinubu, I wrote an article celebrating the appointment as Tinubu’s masterstroke knowing fully well that he has appointed a man with the required dose of patriotism, experience, will, courage, and excellent understanding of the enormity of the responsibility place on his shoulders and ready to take the challenge head on.
I have the innate belief that Ribadu is one Nigerian with the magic wand to purge Nigeria of the rampaging insecurity that has for decades ravaged the nation and left it teetering towards the precipice based on the belief that insecurity itself is a manifestation of a bevy of ailments in which corruption plays a leading role.
Fast forward, two years after his appointment as NSA, Nigerians have every cause to heave a sigh of relief because of the glaring successes Ribadu has made despite daunting obstacles and challenges. The coming of the new Sheriff has brought smile to travellers who ply Abuja – Kaduna – Kano highways which hitherto established a reputation as a den of hardened criminals who without restrain maim, kill and abduct travellers with impunity. Before the coming of Ribadu, travelling along that major corridor was akin to a death sentence.
Ribadu’s tenure as NSA has been defined by a blend of kinetic and non kinetic successes, community reconciliation and institutional renewal. His tenure has delivered tangible results, reduced violence, restored oil production, solidified infrastructure rebuilding, strengthened inter-agency trust, entrenched cyber and economic security initiatives and enhanced regional collaboration with glaring and concomitant impact on Nigeria’s security ecosystem.
In arriving at that, Ribadu strategically encompasses kinetic action with soft-power incentives, underpinned by intelligence integration and international cooperation.
His strategic approach has led to a drastic reduction of criminal activities across Nigeria, enhance economic rejuvenation, boosted the confidence of Nigerians in the government’s ability and willingness to protect lives and property and shore up Nigeria’s GDP through enhanced oil exploitation.
Major criminal kingpins across the length and breath of Nigeria were neutralized by the security apparatus whose morale was boosted following remarkable improvements in welfare and work environment.
Like during his days in EFCC when Nigeria shone on the global stage for its valiant war against economic saboteurs, Ribadu has again brought plaudits and approbation to Nigeria by waging an audacious war against hardened criminals especially by recording a significant milestone through the arrest of terror kingpins, Mahmud Usman, Emir of Ansaru and his deputy, Mahmud al-Nigeri.
In recognition of the rare feat, the United States of America (USA) and the United Kingdom (UK) on Monday lauded the Federal Government and its security agencies for the successful arrest of the two senior leaders of the terrorist group Jama’atu Ansarul Muslimina fi-Biladis Sudan, also known as Ansaru.
The arrests were confirmed by the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, who described the development as the result of a “high-risk, intelligence-led, counter-terrorism operation” carried out between May and July 2025.
The two countries described the arrest as monumental progress in combating global terrorism as the two Ansaru kingpins belong to a network of terrorists organizations operating at the global stage.
In another masterstroke, Ribadu also attained another success through the ballot box by ensuring that his party, the All Progressives Congress (APC), also recorded a landmark victory at the just concluded Ganye constituency bye-election which analysts say was a litmus test of the strength of the party ahead of the crucial 2027 general elections.
That feat affirms the place of Ribadu not only as a war veteran but a full blown democrat who earned the trust, respect and confidence of his people.
Ismail, is the Editor-in-chief of FACTCHECKNEWS.
